It was my first visit to India, my first attempt at yoga (what a perfect place to learn!!) and my first holiday on my own. To say I had the most perfect week is an understatement.

Phil, Ishi and their staff are incredibly welcoming and nothing is too much trouble. The tents are amazing! I slept incredibly well every night and got used to being woken up with a ginger and lemongrass tea. I really liked the fact that the bathroom was open air and enjoyed using the urn to wash. The food was just divine! Dinner was different every night and, after much deliberation, the general consensus of the group was that the chocolate mousse was the winning pudding (although all the puddings were delicious!).

I really enjoyed the yoga and am continuing to do it now I am back in the UK. Nina is a brilliant teacher who guided the group in a really positive way. It was great having the option to do two sessions a day and, on the two days when there wasn't an afternoon session, it provided the perfect opportunity to explore the local area.

It was really nice having the pool at the retreat. I whiled away many an hour reading, chatting, dozing and also made the most of the ayurvedic treatments.

All in all, I can't speak highly enough of my experience at Yoga Magic. I met some amazing people and I would definitely recommend it. I can't wait to go back!

I spend a few days here back in February, 2011 for a review I was writing for an eco-travel publication. I thought YM was fabulous ... here's what I wrote:

In my view, though, the real Goan eco-tourism standouts are those where local owners are simply trying to live their lives in accordance with their values. Amid the restaurants and resorts whose “eco” or “organic” claims crumble under the slightest scrutiny, you can find local (and ex-pat-run) gems that are as green as they are uniquely charming.

One is called Yoga Magic. Forgive my New Age-esque descriptor, but Yoga Magic is, in a word, conscious. It’s as if owner Phil Dane—a former high-profile rock’n’roll music producer from London—has a transcendent ability to express beauty and harmony in the smallest details. There’s simply something about Yoga Magic that feels like a conduit for a greater spirit.

It’s open from mid-November to mid-April each year. Surrounded by rice fields and coconut palms just a couple of miles inland from Anjuna’s beaches, Yoga Magic casts a spell from dawn till dusk. Shortly before first light, masala tea is delivered to my luxurious-yet-down-to-earth Rajasthani hunting tent, which is unlike any I’ve previously experienced. It’s not just the über-comfortable bed; I’m also in love with the private, outdoor bathroom, open-air shower, and even the hand-crafted composting toilet (OK, so I’m already tired of Eastern-style squat toilets, but my approval goes beyond this: I also spot the use of solar power on the property, and Dane’s efforts to create this self-contained eco-system are noteworthy in India).

Parting the white canvas tent doors, I’m greeted by a spectacular sunrise, crickets, cormorants and dogs howling—there are always dogs howling in India. It’s time for early-morning yoga, in a hand-crafted, open-walled studio made of mud and dried cow dung. From an altar, Ganesha the elephant god and a photo with the clear-eyed gaze of Osho (aka Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh) gazes down at us. Katie from London leads a gentle, hour-long yin yoga session.

Afterwards, all systems go, I traipse cross the lawn to the indoor-outdoor café to consume copious quantities of a fabulous breakfast buffet. House-made buffalo yogurt, fresh pineapple, pomegranate, papaya, grapes, watermelon, freshly baked muesli, and local honey.

I strike up a conversation with Josie and Daisie, two British permaculture volunteers who are rebuilding soil fertility on the property, an effort to restore the local ecology after years of abuse by previous land-owners.

The rest of the day is filled with meditation, a second yoga class, and lazing by the pool discussing WikiLeaks with Hans from Düsseldorf. I pass on an Indian cooking class, but by the time dinner rolls around, I’d somehow worked up an appetite again.

(the full article is at GreenTravelerGuides(dot)com

We had a fabulous night in one of the suites here in October. The service was extremely warm and charming, the room was just beautiful and the food all served on your own terrace was the best we've had in India. The morning yoga classes were great, as were the Aruyvedic massages. We couldn't believe the value of this place. We paid Rs 5500 which included dinner, breakfast, the beautiful room and the morning yoga. An absolute steal. The tents weren't up when we were there in October so can't comment on those, but I won't hestitate in recommending Yoga Magic to all of my friends and we just can't wait to go back. Book ahead as it is understandably very popular!! By far the best place we stayed at in India and we paid twice the price for places that weren't half as nice. Thanks to all at Yoga Magic!!

Yoga magic
Our first trip to India we need a break we need a rest and to give our bodies time to revitalise . So we thought yoga retreat and lets try Goa as according to our well travelled friends its a soft first timers option to India. and we have a month. Somewhere i have a flyer picked up at a dance studio. Yoga magic it looks good so we take a look on line and yes decide to give it a go we pay up for 3 weeks yoga package this means we get yoga everyday some one to one lessons and breakfast and supper. And decide to find somewhere when we are there for the last week. Well as it happens we end up staying put and stayed a month. We loved it there at yoga magic.
Goa was a shock to our senses a beautiful one but a shock no less we arrived in January and NewYear celebrations ,though coming to an end, kept us well awake our first night ( along with a persistent frog seranade) . It was noisy. our soft English souls were not used to such an onslaught of noise and colour and smell but after that first sleepless night, from which we fell into our early morning yoga class, we loved it.
The yoga was top notch and Im not a yoga devotee but i thought the two teachers Helen and katy who took alternate days teaching were excellent. their knowledge of the body was immense and we both felt safe in their hands. we did yoga flow and touched on Astanga with Katy and Scarafelli with Helen.
The food was so gooooood, fresh fruit, curd, eggs, bread, lassis and juices for breakfast, delicious Indian delights for supper and the best chai I’ve ever had, delivered to us whenever we wanted. Tea is big in my world.
We slept on comfortable beds in tents that were palacial and beautiful, with bedroom, clothes/chilloutroom (or im feeling sick ‘cos I ate outside YM, room) and a bathroom open to the sky (which we shared with a crow who’s best friend lived in the mirror)
We’d be woken by the lovely lady bringing us chai, fall into yoga, stretch our way to awakeness flopdown to breakfast eat chat chai our way through an hour or two while overlooking fields with birds buffalos goats and dogs going about their life. Our days unfolded like this and we got into a relaxed pace exploring by bycicle resting by the pool sometimes danceing under the stars, and attempting long distant work (as internet is available you can sit in reception and beaver away)
But then there’s the family of staff a YM. We loved the staff . Reception the kitchen the garden all of this is kept going by them and always with a beautiful smiles. they work for Phill and Juliette all yr round. During the rainy season. When a large part of ym is closed The family of staff take down all the tents and pack away all the bits that aren’t meant to be washed away by the monsoon. Then when the puddles emerge (downsized rivers) Yoga magic is rebuilt (cow dung!!!) and reborn to start a new fresh season. (the house remains open to guests during the monsoon) I like the washing and emerging all clean thing of YM it suits my cleaning obsession and goes towards just feeling good there.
The place itself is the organic creation of Phill and Juliette the owners. It is all designed by them along with nature. While we were there they had two brilliant English gardeners volunteering their skills eco gardening there way around the veg and flower beds.
Even though yoga magic is not in the middle of nowhere and although it is set within fields, it is surrounded by Indian life and nature, and while on our first night this was definitely disgruntling we quickly found the wonderful Indianess of life experienced there, was peaceful. We did rest and recouperate our battered” im living a slightly mad life” selves, while staying at YM. we felt looked after by everyone working there. Phil and Juliette and Lyndsey the runners of yoga magic were always kind helpful and generous we really felt everyone working there was happy to be there doing what they were doing and this was a great atmosphere to unwind in. Thankyou its a diamond ( two English girls staying, when we arrived described YM as a diamond in the rough)